Leah and Jenna talk about men.

Jenna - Monday, January 07, 2002, 12:39 PM
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Fort Weyr Living Cavern(#199RJa$)
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the Bowl. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room.
Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the weyr bowl.
Contents:
Meg and Peg
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

Leah comes in from the bowl.
Leah has arrived.

Jenna is settled cross legged in a chair, absently going over a set of records before her. Her brow is furrowed lightly, and she is chewing absently on her lower lip, eyes squinted half shut in concentration.

Leah comes in humming to herself despite the load of hidework in her arms. She drops her work on a table near the hearth and glances over at the Runner, "Heyla, Jenna. Not on a run today?"

Jenna looks up. coming out of her fog. "Hm? What? Oh! No ma'am. Records got into a snarl down at Fort station, and they asked me to look through ours here, make sure they were all accounted for." She pauses and then adds drily, "For the last half a turn. I may never be able to run again." Her tone is bemused.

Leah snorts at that, "I can't imagine that any of ours haven't gotten through. Between you and Danielle and all the others, we've got quite a responsible group." She looks over Jenna's shoulder, "Need help?"

Jenna nods slightly, "I think that old Ranul down at the station just got his entries mixed up. You know, name on one line, package on the other." She wrinkles her nose. "You've likely got more hidework than I do ma'am. I'm just checking to make sure that all the entries make sense. More eyeballing them than anything. Though I'd definately welcome the company." She grins wryly. "Get T'quinn in here, and all three of us can fall asleep on our hides."

Leah laugh at that, leaving Jenna momentarily to gather up a mug of klah for herself, "Need a refill?" She pours herself a mug and says, "I think you're right. We've got far too much hidework to do. I think we may need Kate's help."

Jenna nods to Leah, "Cider, if you don't mind, while you're up." She stretches lightly and shifts her feet, rearranging her cross-legged position on the chair. "Now that's a good idea. I'd owe her one, but that's easilly taken out in trade." She grins a bit. "Not everyone's lizards carry messages that well. And honestly, I'm not sure Kate even has one. It'd be easier if I knew just what I was looking for." She grimaces faintly.

Leah nods at that, setting the klah pitcher down and retrieving the cider to fill a mug for Jenna, "Kate's a good egg. She's very willing to help. And you know, a bookkeeper is trained especially to look for errors, so she'd probably be a big help." She returns to the table, a mug in each hand, and offers the cider to Jenna.

Jenna accepts the cup with a greatful smile. "Thank you, ma'am." She blows on it and takes a sip, before saying, "Well, honestly, old Ranul needs to give over a bit on keeping the records down at the station, but you didn't hear that from me." She grins a bit and shrugs. "So what're you up to? Other than hide work?"

Leah ohs and grins, sipping from her mug and setting it down carefully, "Have I mentioned hide work? Exciting, isn't it?" With a chuckle, she adds, "Not much. Preparing for the winter, like we do every year at this time. Making sure the last of the tithes comes in with little difficulty."

Jenna nods and grimaces. "That's one job I've never wanted to do: counting tithe. Bad enough in the fall when all the messages start flying back and forth about it." She grins. "I swear, I'd rather spend a day in stores than do that much accounting. I've a decent head for figures, but ugh."

Leah rolls her eyes, "You won't say that after you've been locked in a room with no fresh air, no sound, and no one else but a disgruntled cook claiming you're in her way for twelve hours." She grins.

Jenna points out, "Yeah, but it's just a day. Accounting can go on for *sevendays*, seems like." Her tone is amused, and she takes another drink from her mug, absently cracking her neck as she rolls her head. "I get cross-eyed after looking at columns of numbers for the same amount of time. And it can give you a frightful headache."

Leah sips from her own mug and nods, "Aye, it can. Which is exactly why we have people like Solant and Kate around. They like staring at numbers and telling us what we've added incorrectly."

Jenna laughs. "Well, they say it takes all kinds, and that's just proof." She curls her hands around her mug, warming cold fingers. "I'd heard that the eggs broke shell - I was on my way back from Boll and missed everything. Congratulations." She grins, "And I'm to pass them along from just about everyone on the trace. Boll, Fort, the Halls. Everyone seems to be in a fine mood once again now that things have settled."

Leah grins at that, "Thank you. A fine group, I think. And yes, it's a temporary lull until the next gold rises. Which can be anytime from now until three or four turns from now, eh?" She shrugs, lifting her mug to her lips once more and saying, just before she sips, "You've been doing longer runs recently, haven't you?"

Jenna nods. "Getting 'em in before the snows. Ruatha, Boll. Once to Peyton. Mostly Ruatha." She clears her throat slightly and adds, "It was nice to have someone to run with too. I need to remember to thank P'ter for giving Lu the time off." She grins a bit, "He didn't do too badly keeping up with me either."

Leah nods at that, "He's always been in good shape, that one." She sets the mug down after another sip and asks, "Lots of long runs to Harper too, hm?"

Jenna counters with, "Runs to Harper are always fairly short, ma'am. Course, by the time you drop off the messages at Fort station, give your report, and hand in any for the Healers as well, it's usually supper time. Harper's always been generous in inviting us for supper, or to stay if the station dorms are full. The trace up to the weyr can be tricky after dark." Her expression is guileless.

Leah snorts at that, "Of course. Staying for supper." She tucks a stray lock of blonde hair behind one ear and says, "I find it interesting that, though Danielle does runs to Healer and Fort Hold, you're always the one doing the Harper Hall runs. Why is that?"

Jenna shrugs slightly. "Luck I guess? I've a few friends down there that I keep in touch with. Joran for one - and to hear news of T'jas over at Igen. He usually has the latest news. And Jaeleka. Though I heard she'd been posted elsewhere. And the Masterharper's always been good to take time out of his schedule. Runners are almost as good as Harper when it comes to relaying general news." She gives Leah an innocent smile.

Leah crosses her legs under the table and rests her chin on her hands, "Mmmhhmmmm. Or perhaps there's a certain someone at Harper Hall whose caught your fancy?"

Jenna shoots Leah a piercing look. "Have you been talking to Milque, ma'am?"

Leah laughs at that, "I always talk to Milque. She's one of my juniors, Jenna." She grins, "You know, there's nothing wrong with being attracted to someone... no matter their station."

Jenna wrinkles her nose slightly. "I wouldn't have thought that worthy enough to pass on." She shrugs slightly and says instead, "I enjoy my time down at Harpers, ma'am. I'd thought of apprenticing, but I'm a bit old for that now, among other reasons. So I'm just unofficially learning bits and pieces. Hopefully, the folks down there will still have time for me for a while yet."

Leah says to her, shaking her head, "Tell me whatever you want, Jenna, but I can tell the fact is simply that there's someone you care about at Harper Hall. And I do mean in a more than friendly way." She leans back in her chair and watches the Runner curiously, "You know, you and N'sales kept me in the dark about his feelings for a long time. I'm still boggled by the need for secrecy around here. Like people think I'd send them to the islands for wanting to be with someone else. It's not a crime, you know."

Jenna's expression softens slightly. "It's not that, ma'am. Honest. It's just..." She pauses and then says slowly, obviously choosing her words carefully, "It's not entirely my choice to tell. If there is someone who's caught my fancy," she pauses, blue eyes seeking Leah's, "Maybe it's better for him if it's not common knowledge. After all, he might have other things to think of first."

Leah smiles kindly at that, "We all have other things to think of first, Jenna. For example, N'sales knows Jinieth and all of Fort, pretty much, come before him when it comes to my duty. And you know, public knowledge is one thing, but we Weyrwomen are known for being the epitome of discretion." She winks, then sits forward again to say, "Jenna, look. I'm here if you want to tell me anything. We were friends before I became Weyrwoman and I hope we'll continue to be friends for turns to come. Let me just say that, as your friend, I know there's someone on your mind and he resides at Harper Hall. And if you ver want to talk about it, I'm here for you."

Jenna glances around the caverns and then lowers her voice, "Well, I have to be discreet, ma'am. I mean, things like that between someone of his rank and someone of my rank, well, they tend to get people sniggered at an awful lot." She sighs faintly, swirling her cider around in her mug. "It's been a trifle stressful, keeping it quiet for so long. People *have* noticed, no matter how hard I try. It's been nearly a turn now."

Leah's eyes widen with appreciation, "A whole turn? Where has my attention been, hm? Oh, I remember, I was distracted by running a weyr and a very tall bronzerider who turned up in my bed one day." Her eyes twinkle playfully, "Don't you worry. Everything will work out. It always does."

Jenna gives a nervous smile. "I'm sure it will. But it just keeps getting more complicated. He's not exactly the handfasting type. And I'm not ready to settle down. If I'm going to make a Crossing after the Pass is over, I've still got a lot of training to do in my own craft. And his craft will always come first, regardless of if he could settle down. Which I don't think he ever will. And there's other things too." She looks down at her mug, frowning faintly.

Leah arches her eyebrows curiously, "Other things? Like?"

Jenna sighs faintly. "A certain bluerider complicating matters."

Leah blinks at that, "L'nan?"

Jenna nods, not looking up. "Yeah." She is quiet for a few moments and then says, "I mean, really, it shouldn't complicate things. I've not made any demands, and neither has the, ah, one at the Hall. But it's certainly not something I could have expected." She looks up and admits, "The whole last turn isn't something I ever could have even dreamt of."

Leah hms at that, "Is L'nan someone you're not interested in being with?"

Jenna's brow furrows slightly, "Oh, no. We've always been good friends. It's just..." She stops, trying to put the thoughts into words. "I didn't think that he thought of me as, well, a girl." She flushes faintly. "Not until just before I went to Igen for that month. It's very different with him. There's no worry, no having to hide things. The only thing that'd really be an issue is flights. And it's not like *he's* ready to settle down either. I don't know. I know things at the Hall will end someday. But I don't know that about Lu - It's just all confusing."

Leah chuckles at that, "You know, you should be a rider. The simple rule for riders is that they do what their dragons want. N'sales and I are committed to each other, but if his dragon gives chase and catches, that's that. That's why he's fine with P'ter being Weyrleader. And I get the best of the both of them." She winks.

Jenna blushes a bit at that. "I'm glad enough I haven't a dragon to complicate matters even more right now. It's... part of the reason I was off so much on long runs recently." She smiles wryly, "I told Alirath he better not so much as twitch an ear at me. Honestly, it's just a tempest in a tea pot. I'm just confused as to how I feel is all."

Leah smiles and says, as if she's an old hand or something, "Let me give you a little advice? Enjoy it while you can. If you can have some fun with L'nan and more fun with the other invisble man, then you do it. Men are worth playing with."

Jenna turns rather pink, the tips of her ears turning red. "Well, Lu doesn't want things to change between him and the other man - they're developing a friendship. And I certainly would wat them to get angry with each other either. Faranth's teeth! I never thought I'd have to worry about something like this."

Leah slaps her forhead, "This is getting more and more complicated! Have you and this mystery man agreed on a commitment of any kind?"

Jenna shakes her head. "He offered, but I didn't want him to make any promises he couldn't keep. He's... not exactly a one woman kind of man."

Leah nods seriously, clearing her throat, "Well, perhaps you should talk to him about your being as open as he seems to be with his relationships? If he can be with other women, then surely you can be with other men?"

Jenna nods and then her mouth twists into a sardonic smile. "Though I'm not really sure I want to know just who else he's with. That may be more information than I'd be comfortable with."

Leah shakes her head, "That information, dear, is something you keep for yourself."

Jenna takes a sip of her now cold cider. "It really is a tempest in a tea pot, isn't it?" Her tone is half amused. "All the moreso because I'm not really a 'proper' girl."

Leah snorts at that and asks, "Who is?" She grins, "I had more suiters when I was covered from head to toe in runner muck than I had once I Impressed. Men have odd tastes."

Jenna laughs. "These two in particular." She shakes her head. "Lu doesn't like prissy girls, but he seems to. I know he had eyes for a goldrider up at the Reaches. But that seemed to fizzle out over the last turn. I'd kinda hoped I was the reason, but I honestly don't know."

Leah grins at Jenna, "I'm sure you were the reason he's staying close to Fort at least?"

Jenna sighs happily, "I'd like to think so. He does know how to make a girl fall head over heels, that's for certain." She ducks her head slightly and admits with a pleased smile, "He wrote a song for me."

Leah nearly chokes on her klah she was trying to sip, hastily grabbing for a napkin. Coughing, she recovers herself and wipes her mouth, "L'nan?!"

Jenna shakes her head, "Oh, no! The other one. Lu gave me this." She pulls out the blue pendant she wears, showing it to Leah. "He's much older than Lu. Lu's a couple of turns younger than I am, actually. Or maybe not quite two, but one and a half."

Leah laughs at that, "I had this image of L'nan with a lap harp trying to pluck out a tune. It frightened me." She grins, leaning forward to admire the pendant, "That's lovely!"

Jenna actually giggles a bit. "Lu has other ways of showing he cares. I think he made this all on his own, actually. I believe it's supposed to be Alirath." She gives a half-smile, "Or maybe the dragon he's sure is out there somewhere for me. But Lu's not the sweeping off your feet type. He's more the wrestle around in the mud and tease you type."

Leah leans forward to emphasize, "Sometimes, that's exactly what a girl needs." She sips her klah without choking this time, swallows, and says, "Do you think N'sales is the sweeping off your feet type?"

Jenna considers, pursing her lips. "Well, once you lead him up to it, maybe. He was awfully uncertain when I talked to him. It's funny," She grins. "I thought he had a crush on me, and he thought I had a crush on him. Once we talked it all out - I was the one that told him to go talk to you, y'know."

Leah nods and smiles at Jenna, "Something I will thank you for over and over for turns to come, I'm sure."

Jenna chuckles. "I'm just glad it all worked out okay. He seems happy enough. And you do too. And that's what's important. Lu's a bit like Norse, I think. He's not as confident as the harper. They're really very different."

Leah chuckles thoughtfully at that, "You'd think with his size and stamina, and that bronze of his, N'sales would have more confidence, wouldn't you?" She gets thoughtful again, then nods at Jenna, "But they have something in common, too. An affection for you."

Jenna mms. "I'd never really thought of it that way." She pauses and considers, "They have a bit more than that too, I guess. He was talking to Lu when he was acting weyrleader, helping him out with some things." She stops and then says slowly, "You know, I suppose that Lu's just a younger version of him, in a lot of ways. I hadn't thought of that before." Her expression is vaguely troubled.

Leah laughs, "You need to quit worrying so much. I promise, everything will work itself out."

Jenna's tone is amused. "Maybe I just need to get the two of them drunk so we all talk and work this out."

Leah snorts, "Maybe the three of you need to get drunk and find that mud that is usually left over from the ice rink after winter." She grins.

Jenna frowns thoughtfully, missing the point. "I don't think the harper's the type to play in the mud, though Lu'd enjoy it just fine. Neither one of them have much time to themselves these days." She wrinkles her nose, "The joys of rank."

Leah snorts again and just sighs, "I think you need to relax and just play with them both for now."

Jenna echoes that snort. "Well, given that I'm new to the whole playing thing," she siezes on that euphamism, "I'm not entirely sure what to do. Though Lu's not pushing things. I think he thinks as highly of his relationship with the harper as much as he does the one with me. So he doesn't want to push things."

Jenna is drawn away by one of the other runners, talking about those peskey records once again. "I'll talk to you later, ma'am!"